U.S. Open day 8: Federer dumped out by unseeded Millman

Australian’s John Millman does the impossible, defeating the five-time U.S. Open champ, Roger Federer, in four sets. 

No one gave John Millman a chance in his round of 16 match against Roger Federer on Monday. Everything was going according to playbook in the first set, but once the Australian powered through the third set tie break, the shocked crowd on Arthur Ashe stadium knew they were in for a very different match.

If Federer had been brilliant in his meeting with Nick Kyrgios, he appeared out of sorts against Millman, an unseeded player who took full advantage of every opportunity, defeating the legend, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 7-6(3). Federer’s Grand Slam tally will remain at 20.

Elsewhere, Naomi Osaka was all confidence when she played Arnya Sabalenko, the most exciting women’s player on tour at the moment, 6-3 2-6 6-4. But when it came for her on-court interview afterwards, she was all nervous tears as she tried to answer questions.

“I was just thinking, ‘I have to fight for every point; even if I break a leg I should try to get to every ball’,” Osaka said, per the BBC.

Maria Sharapova had never lost a night match at the U.S. Open, until now, when she was defeated in straight sets by jubilant birthday girl, Carla Suarez Navarro, who turned 30 on the day she won her spot into the quarterfinals, five years after the last time at Flushing Meadows, 6-4, 6-3.

“I told myself to run and fight — that’s the way I can play really good tennis,” said Navarro afterwards, via Yahoo.

She will be up against Lesia Tsurenko, who beat Czech Marketa Vondrousova 6-7 (3-7) 7-5 6-2 to make her first grand slam quarterfinal. Tsurenko fought off extreme dizziness to capture the victory over the unseeded Czech.

“I was really dizzy and I asked nature or God or somebody please move the shade over faster,” said Tsurenko afterwards, via BBC.

She will have to fight a red-hot Madison Keys, who easily dispatched an opponent who should have been a bigger challenge, Dominika Cibulkova, 6-1, 6-3, in dominant straight sets.

Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic continues on his comeback roll, securing his spot into the quarters with an efficient straight sets win over Joao Sosa, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

The win was impressive, but his press conference with a couple of youngsters — one of whom did an adorable impression of him — was even sweeter.

Kei Nishikori has been building himself back into competitive form all year and has secured his second quarterfinal appearance this year, defeating Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5.

“I wanted to stay in the top 10 every year, and that gave me a little bit of pressure. Right now I don’t have any pressure, I’m enjoying playing every match and enjoying playing tennis again a little more than before,” said the Japanese player, seeded 21, a refreshing face back on the Tour.

Up next for him is Marin Cilic, his opponent in the 2014 U.S. Open final, which the Croatian won for his single Grand Slam title. The Australian Open finalist defeated a spirited David Goffin, 7-6(6), 6-2, 6-4.

The first half of the quarterfinals will take place on Tuesday.

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